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EXTRACT 

FROM THE ANNUAL REPORT OF 
LOUIS P. SHOEMAKER, President. 



Submitted to the Bright wood Citizens' Associa- 
tion April 11, 1902. 



Some of the advantages secured for this section of the 
District of Columbia in the last two years : 

Many houses have been constructed in Petworth. 

Thirty acres of ground have been purchased by the United 
States Government for a Municipal hospital on Brightwood 
avenue. 

A new school house is being constructed in Petworth and 
several new houses have been built. 

A police station, one of the most complete in the District, 
has been located on Whitney avenue. 

A great many residences have been built in Brightwood Park 
and they are all occupied. 

Flint Street has been graded and macadamized. 

A portion of the White tract has been sub-divided and 
Genessee Street has been donated and graded through to 
Fourteenth Street road. 

Almost all the land necessary for Thirteenth and Four- 
teenth Streets from Spring Street to the District line, has 
been donated and plats duly signed,* are in the possession 
of Mr. Blair Lee, chairman of a committee of the Brightwood 
Citizens' Association. They have been presented to Con- 
gress. 

Considerable land has been donated to widen Brightwood 
Avenue. 



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The lyancaster tract of twenty acres has been sub-divided, 
the streets donated and several lots have been sold to those 
who will build immediately. 

Several lots have been sold on Blair Road and a number 
of houses have been constructed in this locality. 

Several acre lots haye been sold on Brightwood Avenue 
and they have been handsomely improved. 

The Heine tract of 21 acres has l^een sold. It will be at 
sub-divided, and houses will be built. 

One of the handsomest school houses has been constructed 
north of Brightwood near Takoma. 

The regularity of the schedule for street car strvice has 
greatly improved. 

Sevei^al beautiful and well macadamized roadways have 
been made in Rock Creek Park, 

The acquisition of the land necessary for Sixteenth Street 
by the District is an assured fact. 

The people of the entire District are now aroused with 
reference to the importance and actual necessity which exists 
for making United States or Naiional improvements in the 
District of Columbia as is done elsewhere at the expense of 
the Nation. The unfairness is only too apparent of this effort 
on the part of Congress to impose the cost of such public 
improvements as the National Rock Creek Park, the National 
Zoo Park which is adjunct of the Smithsonian Institute, the 
National Street Extension Plan, the greater Park system, 
according to plans recently prepared, the reclaimation of the 
Anacosta flats and the construction of bridges over 
the Potomac. All these subjects were passed upon by this 
Association two years ago and the importance as well as 
necessity of making them at national expense was fully pre- 
sented. 

The fact that Brightwood Avenue is the only outlet for the 
growth and developement of Washington to the north and in 
this direction has been also presented, and our proper 
committee has constantly kept the urgent necessity which 
exists for new roadways before Congress and the Commis- 
sioners. The result is that we have secured Sixteenth Street 

Gift 
Author 

(Person) 

30 Ja '07 



and we have much of the land donated for Thirteenth and 
Fourteenth Streets together with a favorable recommendation 
of the Commissioners as to the importance and necessity for 
opening these highways at once. 

Authoritative information has been received from the 
Washington Gas Company to the effect that a gas main will 
be at once extended north on Brightwood Avenue to the 
District line, affording thereby adequate light for this im- 
portant avenue and for private residences. 

Two years ago we advocated the advantage of electric 
light in this section, a privilege enjoyed by the tax -payers 
west of Rock Creek, but denied to those east of said stream. 
Upon this subject we have the favorable action of the 
Commissioners and we confidentialy expect Congress to 
afford this admirable privilege to our people and thereby 
discontinue the existing unfair discrimination against this 
section. 

A club and library has been established north of Bright- 
wood by the people of Takoma, Brightwood and vincinity 
for their benefit and advantage. It is supplied with over 
1,000 volumes of books, two billiard tables, a shuffle board, 
many of the small games, a bowling alley at the cost of $750 
and a bowling alley building, which cost $1,500. The 
library building consists of eight large rooms, completely 
furnished, which is rented by the Club at $40.00 per month. 
The membership consists of about 150 persons who support 
it by the payment of monthly dues. This we believe to be 
the only complete and well equipped club and library in the 
'tiew and greater Washington. 

Takoma Park, which is so near Brightwood has been pro- 
vided with a complete system of water and sewer facilities, 
so that the people who reside there can observe sanitary laws 
and regulations. The result is that all the houses there are 
occupied, although many new houses have been constructed 
in the past two years and there is a constant demand on the 
part of those who desire to rent and purchase, but they can- 
not be accommodated. 

The flourishing condition of Takoma at the north and 



adjacent to Brightwood with Washington City in sight 
and really at the foot onlj^ of a hill upon which Brightwood 
is located will lead everyone naturally to feel convinced 
of the value of our Brightwood section and its vincinity. 
It is therefore the pressing of two desirable influences 
which must make Brightwood territory even more attractive 
than it now is. 

North Columbia Heights has beer, sub-divided, many sales 
have been made and buildings will be at once constructed, 
thereby moving the old Washington into the new, and more 
than a step in the direction of Brightwood. 

The plans of the municipal hospital have been completed 
the land consisting of 40 acres, has been purchased and a 
handsome building will be at once constructed on Bright- 
wood Avenue just south of Brightwood. 

The work of the Brightwood Association must go on not- 
withstanding these advantages. Its thoughtful and judicious 
presentations of necessary improvements not only for this 
section, but for the welfare of the entire District must con- 
tinue. No lagging or abatement of interest will be permitted. 
We are engaged in a public and not a private work or under- 
taking. The interests of the National Capital and to that ex- 
tent, the interest of the Nation are before us. Until Thirteenth, 
Fourteenth and Sixteenth Streets, with a reasonable number 
of intersecting or cross streets are opened, graded or regulat- 
ed provided with water, sewer and light so that private 
improvement can, as it will undoubtedly follow, the work of 
Brightwood Citizens' Association, cannot lag and so far as 
the present administration is concerned, we will not permit «» 
even delay. We are engaged primarily, I may sa5s for our- 
selves in behalf of our property interests and for the welfare 
of our people, but nevertheless, who will tell us how the Nat- 
ional Capital City can continue in its developement and 
improvement without the very proper exercise of the function 
of the Government, so that Thirteenth, Fourteenth and Six- 
teenth Streets can be opened for public use. Who will say 
that private improvements will not immediately follow ? 
Who will contend that private improvement can possibly 



precede these public advantages and who will admit that 
any individual or number of individuals can perform these 
public functions. It is therefore the work and exclusively 
the work of the Commissioners and Congress, and they 
should act upon our recommendations, not alone for us, but 
for the developement of the Capital City. 

When these streets have been opened and provided with 
water, sewer and light, private improvements consisting of 
rows of brick houses and large apartment houses, will be con- 
structed in this territory. We now find them at the present 
termini of these great thoroughfares and we respectfully sub- 
mit that no greater or better evidence of the necessity for the 
extension of Thirteenth, Fourteenth and Sixteenth Streets 
can be found, than the existing fact that they have been im- 
proved, as far as they have been graded and regulated. We 
are therefore here to assist in making Washington beautiful 
and to advance the existing demand for actual needs and 
necessities. We insist that District tax -payers are willing to 
do even more than their share and therefore bear even more 
than their portion of the burden as compared with the National 
Government, without an unusual increase in taxation. Let 
local improvements be made under the organic act of 1878, 
half by the District, and half by the United States. I^et 
national improvements be made here as they are made else- 
where, at the expense of the Nation and we will find Wash- 
ington in a very few years, the pride and admiration not 
only of this Country, but of the World. 

The accomplishment of this result however, is not to be 
attained and the people of this Country do not desire that it 
should be attained by an overburdensome taxation upon the 
thirty-thousand land owners of this District, for the benefit 
of a nation of seventy millions. 

April 11, 1902. 
Printed by order of the Association. 
True Copy: 

JOHN G. KEENE, 

Srcret.\rv. 
(Conclusion.) 



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